Since its inception in 1988, SummerSlam has brought life to WWE in the summer. Ironically, Vince McMahon created the event partially in competition against Jim Crockett Promotions, which is making a short-lived return this weekend with the Ric Flair’s Last Match card. The Flair match will run on Sunday evening, traditionally when SummerSlam airs, but this year marks a move to Saturday.
In addition to a rare (but increasingly common) Saturday showing, this is also the first time SummerSlam has run in July. The event has been home to plenty of magic from the golden era of the World Wrestling Federation, with Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth dominating the early years. Bret Hart brought a different level of wrestling to the show, crafting signature performances against Curt “Mr. Perfect” Hennig, “The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith and Owen Hart. There was the ugly, with Steve Austin landing on his neck in a match against Owen Hart, as well as the distinctly unforgettable—like Shawn Michaels’s overreactions to Hulk Hogan’s offense in 2005. There have also been plenty of great matches more recently, including Sasha Banks–Charlotte Flair, as well as Banks–Alexa Bliss (though Banks, unfortunately, is not part of this year’s card). Also missing this summer is John Cena, who wrestled a captivating match last year against Roman Reigns.
This year’s card is headlined by Reigns and Brock Lesnar in a Last Man Standing match, another iteration of a pairing we have already witnessed on multiple occasions. There is potential that Montez Ford splits from Street Profits partner Angelo Dawkins, as well as two important title matches—Liv Morgan against Ronda Rousey and a SummerSlam rematch of Bianca Belair against Becky Lynch.
There are many story lines, both on and off camera, surrounding this year’s event. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
Kurt Angle’s take on Reigns-Lesnar
Kurt Angle will be keeping a close eye on the SummerSlam main event. He has history with Lesnar, headlining WrestleMania 19 with him in 2003, and he even filled in for Roman Reigns as part of The Shield at TLC in ’17.
“Two pros like that, I want to make sure they tell a really good story,” Angle says. “Their psychology has to be great. Brock is one of those guys that can wrestle a long time, but he doesn’t have to because he’s such a badass. But I’m expecting this match to be long. They’re both incredible pros, and I think this will be the match of the night.”
Angle briefly reminisced about his sole amateur wrestling bout against Lesnar. Though it was certainly unsanctioned, Angle was able to score, yet Lesnar could not in their sparsely attended, must-see, 15-minute bout.
“Brock and I, we don’t talk about that,” Angle says with a laugh. “It was a pretty tight match. I didn’t dominate. But like I told you before, there won’t be a rematch. Brock would annihilate me.”
Angle is the subject of Sunday’s Biography: WWE Legends, highlighting a legendary career that included winning an Olympic gold medal in 1996. He defeated Iranian wrestler Abbas Jadidi to capture the gold, though he initially believed he was defeated.
“When the referee was holding our arms, Jadidi pulled up his hand, making me think I lost,” Angle says. “I immediately thought, ‘I have to wait another four years.’ In that one second, I was crushed. Then the referee raised my hand.”
Following his gold, Angle embarked upon a pro wrestling career. His most well-known matches took place in WWE, but his absolute best work was in TNA/Impact. He also wrestled some memorable matches for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, as well as the indies. But Angle’s toughest opponent has been addiction.
“My documentary sends a message about overcoming obstacles,” Angle says. “Even when you’re down, you can pull yourself back up. I want people to remember that. It’s all about redemption and overcoming addiction. A lot of people are going to be able to relate.
“For me, I became obsessive. That’s what training did to me. I always wanted to over-train. I don’t win the gold medal otherwise, but that also played a role in my addiction. I’ve always wanted to be the best. I obsessed over that, too. Nothing else would suffice. Learning how to turn it down has been important for me.”
The fact that Angle is a redemption story and not a tragedy is a blessing—and he is eager to share his highs and lows.
“I’m very proud that I was able to make it through, and so are my wife and my kids,” Angle says. “But I can’t rest easy. I’m always very strict about my addiction so I don’t set myself back.”
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Cody Rhodes’s absence
Earlier this month, Cody Rhodes added to his hardware collection when he won an ESPY for Best WWE Moment, which celebrated his long-awaited return to the company at WrestleMania 38.
Farbod Esnaashari, who also covers the Clippers for FanNation, was at the ESPYs, and he spoke with Rhodes on the red carpet for this exclusive interview detailing his WWE return.
“When I was negotiating to come back, I kept hearing people say, ‘Don’t you want to come home? It’s going to be so good to come home,’” Rhodes said. “It was a very stirring feeling to hear that. I had gone away, helped start a rival wrestling promotion, broke the throne, all these things, and I wanted to see if the actions met the words—and they did. Not just that, but WWE fans opened their hearts, and they’ve loved me. I’m so honored by it all.”
Rhodes created a lasting, enduring memory last month at Hell in a Cell when he defeated Seth Rollins in the cage. Wrestling with a torn pectoral muscle, Rhodes earned a whole new appreciation for his work.
“The school I teach at, The Nightmare Factory, we tell people all the time, ‘You’ll always wrestle hurt, but don’t wrestle injured,’” Rhodes says. “I had to look them in the face and say I did wrestle very injured. I only got a few folks say I shouldn’t have done it. Most people who know me know there was no chance I wasn’t wrestling. I wouldn’t recommend it, but we got out of it safe. I think people really enjoyed the match. Again, I don’t recommend it, but 10 out of 10 times, I’m making the same call.”
I had the benefit of watching Rhodes win the Ring of Honor title in 2017, as well as the NWA belt in 2018. Both of those were emotionally charged moments, with Rhodes forming an intimate connection with the crowd. But those moments will likely pale in comparison if he is able to reach new heights by winning the WWE title.
“I’ve been humbled and knocked down by the business, a lot,” Rhodes said. “Coming back was a huge lift-me-up. We genuinely have unfinished business. To get in there and hopefully get the chip I want, that’s the goal.”
A trip down memory lane
One of my favorite SummerSlam moments occurred in 1990, when the “Texas Tornado” Kerry Von Erich defeated Mr. Perfect on short notice to win the intercontinental title.
At the time, I believed Tornado would be the next major WWE star. Only 7 years old, I was unaware of Von Erich’s brilliance prior to WWE in WCCW, but I thought he would replace The Ultimate Warrior as the eventual WWE champion.
Clearly, that was not the case—though, a year later, Bret Hart defeated Perfect for the IC title to ignite an iconic singles career, ultimately becoming the face of WWE.
Liv Morgan’s outside-the-ring project
Liv Morgan deserves more than a month as a WWE champion, but it appears Ronda Rousey is poised to regain the SmackDown title at SummerSlam.
If that happens, it will be interesting to see how Morgan is booked after losing the title. Outside of WWE, she is on the cusp of another breakout moment with a role in the upcoming film The Kill Room, which also includes Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman and Maya Hawke.
“It was an incredible experience,” Morgan says.“That was my first time on a set that wasn’t WWE, but I felt at home. I felt so prepared. The cast was awesome. I can’t wait for people to watch, and I want to hear what everyone thinks. And soon there will be more great news to come.”
Likely to be released next year, The Kill Room is a “darkly comic thriller.” A film like this could elevate Morgan to new heights, and she was ecstatic to be cast.
“It’s so different in film,” Morgan says. “I had a different toolbox after going out and wrestling live. I was definitely confident on set. My background helped make it very comfortable and familiar.”
My SummerSlam predictions
Roman Reigns outlasts Brock Lesnar in a Last Man Standing match; Becky Lynch and Ronda Rousey regain, respectively, the Raw and SmackDown titles; The Usos defeat the Street Profits, who are bound to split; Pat McAfee looks outstanding in a victory against Happy Corbin; Bobby Lashley pummels Theory in a successful defense of the U.S. title; Logan Paul wins his singles debut against The Miz; and Judgment Day prevails against the Mysterios.
I’ll also be surprised if there isn’t a major surprise or two at the event. Brock Lesnar and Becky Lynch made their returns last year, and Bayley and one other surprise would help complete the card this Saturday.
- Liv Morgan Sorely Needs a Win at ‘SummerSlam’
- Ex-Teammates Corbin, McAfee Set for ‘SummerSlam’ Showdown
- Triple H Named Head of WWE Creative After McMahon’s Resignation
Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
